We are currently making plans to switch cell phone companies, and this means
that I'll be getting a new phone. I am seriously looking at getting a
camera phone: it seems that the boys always are doing cute things when my
camera is not at hand, and I figured the camera phone would be a good
substitute.

However: I'm am *really* lousy at understanding techno-speak so I'm finding
it really difficult to understand what is being offered. For example, if a
camera doesn't specify "multi-picture" does that mean it will only take/save
1 picture at a time? Do picture/s taken by the phone *have* to be emailed
(thus requiring email options, at higher cost, to be included in the phone
plan), or can they be down loaded directly to my computer? What is the
general resolution of a cameraphone picture (am I right in assuming that
they won't be as good quality as ones taken by my Canon Sureshot?

I've kinda narrowed it down to one of these three phones:

http://shorterlink.com/?Q5Z04H

But if paying a little more will make a huge difference, it's not out of the
question (we're looking at the three-year terms).

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

TIA

Marie

"marie" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

Sorry, I can't help with camera phones, but here's an
independant site which has all sorts of cellular product
comparisons:
http://www.comparecellular.com/

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

"marie" wrote in message
...
We are currently making plans to switch cell phone companies, and this
means that I'll be getting a new phone. I am seriously looking at getting
a camera phone: it seems that the boys always are doing cute things when
my camera is not at hand, and I figured the camera phone would be a good
substitute.

However: I'm am *really* lousy at understanding techno-speak so I'm
finding it really difficult to understand what is being offered. For
example, if a camera doesn't specify "multi-picture" does that mean it
will only take/save 1 picture at a time? Do picture/s taken by the phone
*have* to be emailed (thus requiring email options, at higher cost, to be
included in the phone plan), or can they be down loaded directly to my
computer? What is the general resolution of a cameraphone picture (am I
right in assuming that they won't be as good quality as ones taken by my
Canon Sureshot?

I've kinda narrowed it down to one of these three phones:

http://shorterlink.com/?Q5Z04H

But if paying a little more will make a huge difference, it's not out of
the question (we're looking at the three-year terms).

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

You'll like the v551. Its almost identical to my v505. The bluetooth
feature alone is the selling point for many. It means you can use wireless
earpieces and connect to any other bluetooth enabled device such as a
computer (a great many Macs have bluetooth and the adapter is pretty cheap
for a Windows pc), a palm pilot or another bluetooth telephone.

I don't use the camera feature often because I have a much better digital
camera already. The one on the phone is about the equivalent of a 1mp
camera IMO and that may be documented somewhere. Its super-easy to use and
it can even zoom. You can't shoot back-to-back pictures though as it
prompts you to store or delete the image you just took and you have to
respond before taking another pic.

The ringtones are real music tones and not the polyphonic ones that sound as
if everything was created on a child's electronic keyboard. If you're
looking to buy through Suncom then you have to use Suncom's rintone service
rather than Motorola's. Suncom has a large library of ringtones across many
genres but you pay through the nose at $3 per tone, at least in the US.

--
Tara

marie wrote:

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

The camera phones tend to have serious picture quality issues, as the
resolution is generally about 2 MP. The good ones take okay pictures if
the lighting is good, but forget about it if the lighting isn't perfect.
For example, we couldn't tell if the space shuttle at the Air and
Space Museum was animal, vegetable, or mineral. As far as I am
concerned, it is just another novelty, without much real world utility.

I've had a camera phone before, and when I changed it, I specifically
requested something that was just a reliable telephone, no bells and
whistles needed. Unfortunately, that's pretty much impossible to find.
If you're looking for something to take decent pictures with, use your
digital camera.

Suja

"Tee" wrote in message
...
"marie" wrote in message
...
We are currently making plans to switch cell phone companies, and this
means that I'll be getting a new phone. I am seriously looking at
getting a camera phone: it seems that the boys always are doing cute
things when my camera is not at hand, and I figured the camera phone
would be a good substitute.

However: I'm am *really* lousy at understanding techno-speak so I'm
finding it really difficult to understand what is being offered. For
example, if a camera doesn't specify "multi-picture" does that mean it
will only take/save 1 picture at a time? Do picture/s taken by the phone
*have* to be emailed (thus requiring email options, at higher cost, to be
included in the phone plan), or can they be down loaded directly to my
computer? What is the general resolution of a cameraphone picture (am I
right in assuming that they won't be as good quality as ones taken by my
Canon Sureshot?

I've kinda narrowed it down to one of these three phones:

http://shorterlink.com/?Q5Z04H

But if paying a little more will make a huge difference, it's not out of
the question (we're looking at the three-year terms).

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

You'll like the v551. Its almost identical to my v505. The bluetooth
feature alone is the selling point for many. It means you can use
wireless earpieces and connect to any other bluetooth enabled device such
as a computer (a great many Macs have bluetooth and the adapter is pretty
cheap for a Windows pc), a palm pilot or another bluetooth telephone.

I don't use the camera feature often because I have a much better digital
camera already. The one on the phone is about the equivalent of a 1mp
camera IMO and that may be documented somewhere. Its super-easy to use
and it can even zoom. You can't shoot back-to-back pictures though as it
prompts you to store or delete the image you just took and you have to
respond before taking another pic.

But it *will* store more than 1 picture at a time? I mean, if the kids have
been cute enough for a picture at 9am and then do something cute again at
11am, I don't have to have downloaded the first picture before I can take a
second, right?

Marie

The ringtones are real music tones and not the polyphonic ones that sound
as if everything was created on a child's electronic keyboard. If you're
looking to buy through Suncom then you have to use Suncom's rintone
service rather than Motorola's. Suncom has a large library of ringtones
across many genres but you pay through the nose at $3 per tone, at least
in the US.

--
Tara

"Suja" wrote in message
news:ld3Re.1043$nq.82@lakeread05...
marie wrote:

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

The camera phones tend to have serious picture quality issues, as the
resolution is generally about 2 MP. The good ones take okay pictures if
the lighting is good, but forget about it if the lighting isn't perfect.
For example, we couldn't tell if the space shuttle at the Air and Space
Museum was animal, vegetable, or mineral. As far as I am concerned, it is
just another novelty, without much real world utility.

That's how I've always felt in the past, but I feel like I'm always missing
those "Kodak Moments" with the boys 'cause I don't have the camera with me
24/7. Yet I really don't want to add a digital camera to the standard
inventory of the diaper bag--just too many opportunityies for it to get
lost/stolen/damaged in the average day. So I figured a camera phone could
be a good compromise, since the phone is usually with me anyways.

When you talk about picture quality: I take it that the camera has no
flash--so are inside shots completely worthless? And is the quality good
enough to print out as a regular 4x6 if I want. I still tend to think in
terms of film camera quality: I know a camera phone isn't the equivalent of
a 35mm auto-focus, but is it betterr/worse or equivalent to the el cheapo
disposable things with the plastic lens? And would spending more money on a
phone equal getting a better quality camera?

Marie


I've had a camera phone before, and when I changed it, I specifically
requested something that was just a reliable telephone, no bells and
whistles needed. Unfortunately, that's pretty much impossible to find. If
you're looking for something to take decent pictures with, use your
digital camera.

Suja

"marie" wrote in message
...


But it *will* store more than 1 picture at a time? I mean, if the kids
have been cute enough for a picture at 9am and then do something cute
again at 11am, I don't have to have downloaded the first picture before I
can take a second, right?


Oh you can store a dozen or more. I don't know the memory size, I don't
even remember what mine is, but I have about 9 pics stored in my phone that
I rotate out as wallpapers and have no problems taking more and storing
them. I don't do the messaging type stuff with my phone but I know its
capable of SMS and immediately sending images that way. I send images, via
bluetooth, to my computer or palm pilot.

--
Tara

"marie" wrote in message
...

"Suja" wrote in message
news:ld3Re.1043$nq.82@lakeread05...
marie wrote:

Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.

The camera phones tend to have serious picture quality issues, as the
resolution is generally about 2 MP. The good ones take okay pictures if
the lighting is good, but forget about it if the lighting isn't perfect.
For example, we couldn't tell if the space shuttle at the Air and Space
Museum was animal, vegetable, or mineral. As far as I am concerned, it
is just another novelty, without much real world utility.

That's how I've always felt in the past, but I feel like I'm always
missing those "Kodak Moments" with the boys 'cause I don't have the camera
with me 24/7. Yet I really don't want to add a digital camera to the
standard inventory of the diaper bag--just too many opportunityies for it
to get lost/stolen/damaged in the average day. So I figured a camera
phone could be a good compromise, since the phone is usually with me
anyways.

They have their uses. I tend to use them as "see, this is what I want" by
taking a pic of a house color, something in Lowes, someone's landscaping,
etc.

When you talk about picture quality: I take it that the camera has no
flash--so are inside shots completely worthless?

They don't have built-in flashes, at least the Motorola don't (I don't think
the Nokia does either) but you can take perfectly good pics inside.

And is the quality good enough to print out as a regular 4x6 if I want.

It depends. The standard resolution is 480x640 pixels which translates to
8x6 inches which is bigger than your desired 6x4. Pics taken with good
natural light indoors or those taken outside will be good. Those taken with
very low light come out with a ton of noise but the subject is still very
visible. I haven't tried running any through my noise reduction plug-in but
as long as you're not wanting low-light indoor shots to print in
frame-worthy quality then I think you'll find the camera phone perfectly
acceptable. My outside shots and those shot indoors with sufficient natural
light come out noise-free btw.

I still tend to think in terms of film camera quality: I know a camera
phone isn't the equivalent of a 35mm auto-focus, but is it betterr/worse
or equivalent to the el cheapo disposable things with the plastic lens?
And would spending more money on a phone equal getting a better quality
camera?

There sensor quality in the cameras varies by phone although not hugely.
I'd say its enough to make a difference to someone like you who is looking
to utilize it for more than the rare snapshot. I've always had Motorola
phones so I can only say that my experience with them has been pretty good
given I use the equipment heavily (for work) and it gets dropped, jogged
around in my purse, rained on, etc. They're not bullet-proof by any means
but they tend to hold up in non-extreme conditions. I can't say I've heard
the same about Nokia or Samsung *but* I've only known a handful of people
with those phones.


--
Tara

My v505 has 5402kb of available picture space. I have 13 pics in there now
and am only using 1300kb.

--
Tara

OT--Camera Phones

Group: rec.pets.dogs.behavior Date: Tue, Aug 30, 2005, 12:59pm From:
(marie)
We are currently making plans to switch cell phone companies, and this
means that I'll be getting a new phone. I am seriously looking at
getting a camera phone: it seems that the boys always are doing cute
things when my camera is not at hand, and I figured the camera phone
would be a good substitute.
However: I'm am *really* lousy at understanding techno-speak so I'm
finding
it really difficult to understand what is being offered. For example, if
a camera doesn't specify "multi-picture" does that mean it will only
take/save 1 picture at a time? Do picture/s taken by the phone *have* to
be emailed (thus requiring email options, at higher cost, to be included
in the phone plan), or can they be down loaded directly to my computer?
What is the general resolution of a cameraphone picture (am I right in
assuming that they won't be as good quality as ones taken by my Canon
Sureshot?
I've kinda narrowed it down to one of these three phones:
http://shorterlink.com/?Q5Z04H
But if paying a little more will make a huge difference, it's not out of
the question (we're looking at the three-year terms).
Any input and/or opinions are appreciated.
TIA
Marie

Hi Marie, Just make sure if you email any pictures to people with webtv
addys that you email the pictures in jpg form. The reason I say that is
that my son had a camera phone & emailed me some not in jpg form & some
in jpg from then because he couldn't keep up the monthly bill his
services were cut off and the ony pics I ended up with were the jpg
ones. Also if you just decide to cancel on your own what ever you send
to webtv users that isn't jpg where it can be put in a scrapbook will be
gone